CN114655468A

CN114655468A - Oil delivery hose measurement control device and method for autonomous aerial refueling of unmanned aerial vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN114655468A
Application number: CN202210462755.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 孟中杰; 刘博�; 白金鑫; 卢俊杰; 赵蔚楠
Original assignee: Northwestern Polytechnical University
Current assignee: Northwestern Polytechnical University
Priority date: 2022-04-28
Filing date: 2022-04-28
Publication date: 2022-06-24

Abstract

The invention discloses a device and a method for measuring and controlling an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The angle of the hose in the air refueling process is determined through the movement between the mechanical structures, and then the position of the space where the refueling taper sleeve is located is determined. Compared with the existing vision measurement system for determining the position of the taper sleeve, the method has the characteristics of low cost, low software overhead, accurate measurement, high reliability and the like. Through tension sensor, can survey the real-time value of hose tension in the air refueling process in real time, confirm more accurately that the tension of hose in the refueling process changes, combine hose reel module to emit and receive back the control tension to the hose and can not take place sudden change to this restraines the emergence of hose "getting rid of whip" phenomenon, ensures the security.

Description

Oil delivery hose measurement control device and method for autonomous aerial refueling of unmanned aerial vehicle

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle refueling, and particularly relates to a device and a method for measuring and controlling an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Background

With the high-speed development of science and technology, people focus on the application of unmanned aerial vehicles more and more with the sight. The unmanned aerial vehicle has a large demand gap for civil use and military use due to the characteristics of small volume, high maneuvering performance, simple operation, wide application range, low cost and the like. During the conventional flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle must land to supplement fuel before fuel consumption is finished, which is a great obstacle to long-distance flight tasks and special task execution. With the continuous development of aviation technology, the air refueling technology is produced. The air refueling technology can greatly increase the navigation mileage and the navigation time of the aircraft. The prior aerial refueling technology is divided into a hose taper sleeve type and a telescopic sleeve type. The hose taper sleeve type oiling mode is concerned with due to the characteristics of high safety performance, no need of independent operators and the like. Meanwhile, the defects are obvious, the air turbulence is very sensitive, and the technical requirements on operators of the oiling machine are high. And under the unmanned aerial vehicle independently air refuels the situation, these shortcomings just are more difficult to overcome, so at unmanned aerial vehicle independently air refuels just provides following task demand to refueling equipment:

(1) position measurable quantity of taper sleeve

The traditional hose taper sleeve type oiling machine is sensitive to air turbulence, and when an oil receiving machine probe is in butt joint with an oiling machine taper sleeve, the taper sleeve can irregularly swing in a disorderly mode, so that the difficulty in butt joint is greatly improved. Especially in the unmanned aerial vehicle is independently refuelling in the air, the oil receiving machine is unmanned aerial vehicle, does not have operating personnel, and these difficulties are just outstanding, and the reason that produces these difficulties is that the position of taper sleeve is measurable in real time not.

(2) Tension of oil hose capable of being measured and controlled

The unmanned aerial vehicle refuels in the sky independently and transports oil hose by the play and withdraw of hose reel device control hose, and at the process of refueling when beginning, the taper sleeve is popped out and refuels the nacelle, and under the effect of air current and refueling taper sleeve rear end umbrella face, the hose is dragged out from hose reel device. During the hose withdrawing process, the reel of the hose reel device is controlled by the motor to rotate in the reverse direction to withdraw the oil hose. The research shows that: at the moment when the probe of the oil receiving machine is contacted with the taper sleeve of the oil filling machine, the hose is suddenly contacted, the tension of the whole hose is suddenly changed, the whip throwing phenomenon of the hose can occur at the moment, the oil filling failure is caused if the hose is light, and the life safety of the oil filling machine operator is seriously threatened if the hose is seriously contacted; when the hose is released and retracted at a small acceleration, the stable shape of the hose-cone sleeve is not affected basically. From these analyses, it is desirable that the hose tension be measurable and controllable. The safe execution of the task can be ensured.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to overcome the defects of the prior art and provides a device and a method for measuring and controlling an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle; in order to solve prior art, unmanned aerial vehicle refuels in-process taper sleeve position can not real-time measurement, and hose tension is difficult to the problem of measurement and control.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention adopts the following technical scheme to realize the purpose:

a measurement and control device for an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle is characterized by comprising a frame, a tension sensor and a scroll which are sequentially arranged;

a first rotary encoder and a second rotary encoder are respectively arranged outside two adjacent side edges of the frame, a first semicircular ring and a second semicircular ring are arranged inside the frame, one end of the first semicircular ring is rotationally connected with a measuring shaft of the first rotary encoder, and one end of the second semicircular ring is rotationally connected with a measuring shaft of the second rotary encoder; the connecting lines at the two ends of the first semicircular ring are vertical to the connecting lines at the two ends of the second semicircular ring;

the reel is connected with a motor;

during measurement and control, after the hose passes through the first semicircular ring and the second semicircular ring, the hose is contacted with the tension sensor, and the hose is wound on the reel.

The invention is further improved in that:

preferably, arc-shaped grooves are formed in the first semicircular ring and the second semicircular ring along the respective circumferential directions.

Preferably, the other end of the first semicircular ring is rotatably connected with a first rotating shaft, and the first rotating shaft is connected with the frame through a first bearing; the other end of the second semicircular ring is rotatably connected with a second rotating shaft, and the second rotating shaft is connected with the frame through a second bearing.

Preferably, the first and second semi-circular rings protrude in one direction.

Preferably, a support plate is arranged in the frame and is arranged on one side of the concave parts of the two semicircular rings; the supporting plate is provided with a hose outlet, and the axis of the hose outlet is superposed with the axis of the frame.

Preferably, the tension sensor is fixedly arranged on the mounting block.

Preferably, a power output shaft of the motor is connected with one end of the reel; and the power output shaft of the motor and the reel are coaxial.

Preferably, the power output shaft of the motor is mounted in the arched mounting plate.

Preferably, the frame, the tension sensor and the reel are all fixedly arranged on the mounting plate.

A method for controlling measurement of an oil delivery hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous aerial refueling based on the device is characterized in that when the hose swings, a first semicircular ring and a second semicircular ring rotate along with the hose, a first rotary encoder is used for measuring the rotation angle of the first semicircular ring relative to a first reference plane, a second rotary encoder is used for measuring the rotation angle of the second semicircular ring relative to a second reference plane, and the two angles are transmitted to a computer;

the tension of the hose is measured through a grooved wheel of the tension sensor and transmitted to the computer, the computer sends an instruction to the motor, the motor drives the rotating shaft to rotate, the hose is controlled to be wound and unwound through rotation of the winding shaft, and then the tension of the hose is controlled.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following beneficial effects:

the invention discloses a device and a method for measuring and controlling an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The angle of the hose in the air refueling process is determined through the movement between the mechanical structures, and then the position of the space where the refueling taper sleeve is located is determined. Compared with the existing vision measurement system for determining the position of the taper sleeve, the method has the characteristics of low cost, low software overhead, accurate measurement, high reliability and the like. Through tension sensor, can survey the real-time value of hose tension in the air refueling process in real time, confirm more accurately that the tension of hose in the refueling process changes, combine hose reel module to emit and receive back the control tension to the hose and can not take place sudden change to this restraines the emergence of hose "getting rid of whip" phenomenon, ensures the security. The device can measure the tension of the oil delivery hose, measure the swing angle of the oil delivery hose and can discharge and withdraw the oil delivery hose under the condition of man-machine autonomous air refueling. Can satisfy unmanned aerial vehicle independently air refuel in-process to the measurement of taper sleeve position and need such as the suppression of hose "getting rid of whip" phenomenon, overall structure is simple, compact, need not very big space installation, and the maintenance cost is low moreover. These characteristics are necessary in practical applications.

Further, arc-shaped grooves are formed in the two semicircular rings, and friction given by the semicircular rings can be reduced in the moving process of the hose through the arc-shaped grooves.

Further, the other end of each semicircular ring is connected with the frame through a rotating shaft and a bearing, so that the semicircular rings can rotate relative to the frame.

Further, the two semicircular rings are protruded in one direction so that the support plate can be placed on the other portion of the frame.

Further, the tension sensor is disposed on the mounting block such that the height of the tension sensor is higher than the height of the rear reel.

Furthermore, a motor power output shaft for outputting power to the scroll is fixed through the arched mounting plate.

Further, three major structure all installs on the mounting panel, and whole measurement control device easily shifts, and three major structure can be stabilized to the mounting panel.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a hose swing angle module.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a hose tension measuring module.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a hose reel module.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device and the method for measuring and controlling the oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Wherein: 1-frame-, 2-first rotary encoder, 3-second rotary encoder, 4-first semicircular ring, 5-second semicircular ring, 6-first rotating shaft, 7-second rotating shaft, 8-first bearing, 9-second bearing, 10-hose outlet, 11-tension sensor, 12-mounting block, 13-screw, 14-stepping motor, 15-arch mounting plate, 16-scroll, 17-hose and 18-mounting platform; 19-a support plate; 20-an arc-shaped groove;

Detailed Description

The invention is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

in the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, but do not indicate or imply that the device or element being referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus, should not be construed as limiting the present invention; the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; furthermore, unless expressly stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly and encompass, for example, both fixed and removable connections; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.

The invention discloses a device and a method for measuring and controlling an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the device scheme adopted by the invention is divided into three parts which are sequentially arranged, namely a hose swinging angle measuring module, a hose tension measuring module and a hose reel module; the three modules can measure the position of the taper sleeve in the unmanned aerial vehicle air refueling process and the tension of the oil hose in the air refueling process respectively, and the hose tension can be controlled through the hose reel device.

Specifically, referring to fig. 1, the hose swing angle measuring module of the present invention includes a frame 1, a first semicircular ring 4, a second semicircular ring 5, a first rotary encoder 2, a second rotary encoder 3, a hose outlet 10, a first rotating shaft 6, a second rotating shaft 7, a first bearing 8, and a second bearing 9.

The module realizes the function of measuring the swing angle of the oil hose in the air. The frame 1 is used for supporting all structures and is a quadrangular frame-shaped structure consisting of four sides; first rotary encoder 2 and second rotary encoder 3 can measure the angle of first semicircle ring 4 and the wobbling of second semicircle ring 5 in two looks quadrature planes, and first rotary encoder 2 and second rotary encoder 3 all set up on the outer terminal surface of frame 1, and the measuring shaft of first rotary encoder 2 passes a limit of frame 1, and the one end swivelling joint of first semicircle ring 4, and the measuring shaft of second rotary encoder 2 passes a limit of frame 1, and the one end swivelling joint of second semicircle ring 5. The frame 1 is further provided with a first rotating shaft 6 and a second rotating shaft 7, a first bearing 8 and a second bearing 9 are respectively used for supporting the first rotating shaft 6 and the second rotating shaft 7, the first rotating shaft 6 is arranged on the edge opposite to the first rotary encoder 2 through the first bearing 8, the second rotating shaft 7 is arranged on the edge opposite to the second rotary encoder 3 through the second bearing 9, the first rotating shaft 6 is rotatably connected with the other end of the first semicircular ring 4, and the second rotating shaft 7 is rotatably connected with the other end of the second semicircular ring 5; the first semicircular ring 4 and the second semicircular ring 5 are used for capturing the angle of the hose in two orthogonal planes, the axis of the first semicircular ring 4 is perpendicular to the axis of the second semicircular ring 5, the axis of the first semicircular ring 4 is coincident with one central line of the frame 1, and the second semicircular ring 5 is coincident with the other central line of the frame 1. Arc-shaped grooves 20 are formed in the first semicircular ring 4 and the second semicircular ring 5 along the circumferential direction of the first semicircular ring and the second semicircular ring, and the hose 17 can penetrate through the two arc-shaped grooves 20. The first semicircular ring 4 and the second semicircular ring 5 have the same projecting direction and face one direction of the axis of the frame 1. The frame 1 is provided thereon with a support plate 19, both ends of the support plate 19 are respectively connected with two opposite corners of the frame 1, and the support plate 19 is disposed at one side of the recess of the first and second half rings 4 and 5. The center of the supporting plate 19 is provided with a hose outlet 10, the axis of the hose outlet 10 is overlapped with the axis of the frame 1, and the hose outlet 10 is used for fixing a hose 17 to ensure that the hose 17, the first semicircular ring 4 and the second semicircular ring 5 rotate in a plane; the whole hose swing angle measuring module is fixed on the mounting platform 18 through eight threaded holes of the base by bolts and nuts.

Referring to fig. 2, the hose tension measuring module of the present invention includes a tension sensor 11 and a mounting block 12.

The function of the module is to measure the real-time value of the tension of the hose during oscillation. The tension sensor 11 is used for measuring the tension of the hose, and the tension sensor 11; the mounting block 12 is used for fixing the tension sensor 11 on the mounting platform 18, and the mounting block 12 is connected with the tension sensor 11 through four screws 13. The bottom of the mounting block 12 also has a threaded hole for securing the mounting block 12 to the mounting platform 18.

Referring to fig. 3, the hose reel module of the present invention is comprised of a motor 14, a reel 16 and an arcuate mounting plate 15. A power output shaft of the motor 14 is connected with one end of the reel 16 and is used for controlling the reel 16 to rotate forward and backward so as to realize the paying-off and withdrawing of the hose 17, and the motor 14 is fixed with the mounting platform 18 through a threaded hole at the bottom; the winding shaft 16 is connected and fixed with a D-shaped output shaft of the stepping motor through a D-shaped opening, the winding shaft 16 is used for winding a hose, the arched mounting plate 15 is used for supporting a power output shaft of the stepping motor 14, the arched mounting plate 15 is sleeved on the power output shaft of the motor 14, and the arched mounting plate 15 is connected with the power output shaft of the motor 14 through interference fit and used for ensuring that the motor 14 and the winding shaft 16 are located on the same horizontal plane. One end of the whole hose reel module is fixed on the mounting platform 18 through the threads of the motor 14, and the other end of the whole hose reel module is clamped on the mounting platform 18 through the arched mounting plate 15 by a clamping groove. Preferably, the motor 14 is a stepper motor.

The working process of the invention is as follows:

fig. 1 is a schematic view showing the swinging angle of the hose. The hose 17 is derived from the hose export 10 of this module, refuels the in-process in unmanned aerial vehicle is autonomic in the air, along with the swing of the motion drive hose of taper sleeve, first semicircle ring 4 catches the hose for the swing angle in two looks orthogonal planes with second semicircle ring 5 under first pivot 6, second pivot 7, first bearing 8, second bearing 9 fixed stay effect, and first rotary encoder 2 measures the size of these two angles with second rotary encoder 3 simultaneously this moment.

As shown in fig. 2, a schematic diagram of a hose tension measuring module is shown. The hose 17 is transported from the hose reel module through the sheave of the tension sensor 11, where it is pressed against the sheave of the tension sensor 11, by means of which the tension of the hose at that time is measured. The mounting block 12 is used for ensuring that the contact point of the grooved pulley and the hose 17 in the tension sensor 11 is on the same horizontal straight line with the center of the hose outlet 10 of the hose swing angle measuring module, and ensuring the normal operation of the tension sensor 11 and the hose swing angle measuring module.

As shown in fig. 3, is a schematic view of a hose reel module. The hose 17 is wound in the working interval of the reel 16, and when an instruction is received, the stepping motor 14 realizes accurate forward and reverse rotation movement and drives the reel 16 to perform forward and reverse rotation movement in the same way, so that the hose is discharged and retracted, the tension of the hose is reasonably controlled, and the phenomenon that the tension of the hose changes suddenly to cause danger is inhibited. The arched mounting plate 15 is used to support the stepping motor 14 and the reel 16, ensure that the stepping motor and the reel 16 are kept horizontal, and ensure the normal operation of the module.

As shown in fig. 4, the overall structure of the device and the method for measuring and controlling the oil hose for autonomous aerial refueling by the unmanned aerial vehicle is schematically shown. The three modules are all installed on the installation platform 18, and in the figure, the hose swing angle measurement module, the hose tension measurement module and the hose reel module are sequentially arranged from left to right. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is used for normally carrying out the autonomous aerial refueling task, one end of the hose 17 is connected with an oil tank device of the refueling machine, the oil conveying hose is connected to the reel 16 of the hose reel module from right to left in the drawing, and the reel 16 is wound to accommodate the oil conveying hose. The highest point of the reel 16 is lower than that of the sheave of the tension sensor 11, and further, the distance between the highest points is larger than the diameter of the hose 17, and the structure is used for ensuring that the single-wheel tension sensor can measure the correct hose tension value when the hose is transmitted between the reel 16 and the sheave of the tension sensor. After the hose 17 passes through the hose tension measuring module, the hose horizontally passes through the hose outlet 10 of the hose swing angle measuring module, and the hose is tangent to the first semicircular ring 4 and the second semicircular ring 5 and passes through the notch where the two semicircular rings intersect, so that the normal operation of the hose swing angle measuring module is ensured. After the hose passes through the hose swinging angle measuring module, the other end of the hose is connected with the oil filling taper sleeve.

When a normal unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous aerial refueling task is executed, the rotation angles of the hose in two mutually orthogonal planes are obtained through the hose swinging angle measuring module, the two rotation angles are transmitted to the control computer, and the spatial position of the refueling taper sleeve can be calculated through mathematical change and the known length of the hose; the hose tension measuring module is used for measuring a real-time value of the hose tension and transmitting the real-time value of the hose tension to the control computer to monitor the value of the tension; the hose reel module stepping motor receives the instruction of the control computer, implements the forward and reverse rotation movement of the motor to control the release and retraction of the hose, and thus cooperates with the hose tension measuring module to implement closed-loop control on the tension, thereby preventing dangerous accidents.

The two mutually orthogonal planes are two reference planes which are mutually orthogonal and pass through the hose outlet 10, and the hose swinging angle is measured by taking the hose outlet 10 as a coordinate origin. Preferably, the two reference planes are planes both perpendicular to the support plate 19, the second reference plane is set to pass through the transverse center line of the frame 1, and the first reference plane passes through the longitudinal center line of the frame 1; the first rotary encoder 2 measures the angle of rotation of the first semicircular ring 4 relative to a first reference plane and the second encoder 3 measures the angle of rotation of the second semicircular ring 5 relative to a second reference plane.

The above description is only for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention, and any modifications, equivalents, improvements and the like that fall within the spirit and principle of the present invention are intended to be included therein.

Claims

1. A measurement and control device for an oil delivery hose for autonomous aerial refueling of an unmanned aerial vehicle is characterized by comprising a frame (1), a tension sensor (11) and a scroll (16) which are sequentially arranged;

a first rotary encoder (2) and a second rotary encoder (3) are respectively arranged outside two adjacent side edges of the frame (1), a first semicircular ring (4) and a second semicircular ring (5) are arranged inside the frame (1), one end of the first semicircular ring (4) is rotatably connected with a measuring shaft of the first rotary encoder (2), and one end of the second semicircular ring (5) is rotatably connected with a measuring shaft of the second rotary encoder (3); the connecting line of the two ends of the first semicircular ring (4) is vertical to the connecting line of the two ends of the second semicircular ring (5);

the reel (16) is connected with a motor (14);

during measurement and control, after the hose passes through the first semicircular ring (4) and the second semicircular ring (5), the hose is contacted with the tension sensor (11), and the hose is wound on the reel (16).

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle refuels in the sky independently oil delivery hose measurement controlling means of claim 1, characterized in that, arc wall (20) have all been seted up along respective circumference on first semicircle ring (4) and second semicircle ring (5).

3. The device for measuring and controlling the oil delivery hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the first semi-circular ring (4) is rotatably connected with a first rotating shaft (6), and the first rotating shaft (6) is connected with the frame (1) through a first bearing (8); the other end of the second semicircular ring (5) is rotatably connected with a second rotating shaft (7), and the second rotating shaft (7) is connected with the frame (1) through a second bearing (9).

4. The measurement and control device for the oil delivery hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling of claim 1, wherein the first semicircular ring (4) and the second semicircular ring (5) are protruded to one direction.

5. The device for measuring and controlling the oil delivery hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling according to claim 4, wherein a support plate (19) is arranged in the frame (1), and the support plate (19) is arranged on one side of the recess of the two semicircular rings; the supporting plate (19) is provided with a hose outlet (10), and the axis of the hose outlet (10) is superposed with the axis of the frame (1).

6. The device for measuring and controlling the oil hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling of claim 1, wherein the tension sensor (11) is fixedly arranged on the mounting block (12).

7. The oil hose measurement control device for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling according to claim 1, wherein a power output shaft of the motor (14) is connected with one end of the reel (16); the power output shaft of the motor and the scroll (16) are coaxial.

8. The device for measuring and controlling the oil hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling of claim 7, wherein the power take-off shaft of the motor is mounted in the arched mounting plate (15).

9. The device for measuring and controlling the oil hose for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous airborne fueling according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the frame (1), the tension sensor (11) and the reel (16) are all fixedly arranged on a mounting plate (18).

10. An oil hose measurement control method for unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous aerial refueling based on the device of claim 1, characterized in that when the hose swings, the first semicircular ring (4) and the second semicircular ring (5) rotate along with the hose, the rotation angle of the first semicircular ring (4) relative to a first reference plane is measured through the first rotary encoder (2), the rotation angle of the second semicircular ring (5) relative to a second reference plane is measured through the second rotary encoder (3), and the two angles are transmitted to the computer;

the tension of the hose is measured through a grooved wheel of the tension sensor (11) and transmitted to the computer, the computer sends an instruction to the motor, the motor drives the rotating shaft (11) to rotate, the winding and unwinding of the hose are controlled through the rotation of the winding shaft (16), and then the tension of the hose is controlled.